State Blogs

The GOP's Tampa Tactics Continue

The GOP establishment’s sheer HATRED for those of us who truly believe in liberty, limited government, and constitutional principles was on full display in Tampa, Florida, last summer.

New rules designed to weaken grassroots activists were RAMMED through at the hands of establishment-insider lawyer Ben Ginsberg over the SCREAMING objections of rank-and-file delegates at the Republican National Convention.

In the process of telling all Ron Paul supporters to hit the road, they stabbed our liberty movement, Tea Party types, and grassroots activists of every stripe in the back.

This next week - at the Republican National Committee’s spring meeting April 10-13 – you and I have a chance to reverse this outrage and guard against new assaults already rearing their ugly heads.

I’ll explain more about the new attacks shortly ...

But the result of next week’s meetings will finally show you and me whether or not the GOP is serious about growing and winning – or if its insiders want to keep their party small, old, and impotent.

Now, Virginia RNC Committeeman Morton Blackwell – who led the fight against implementation of the new rules in Tampa - will be introducing a resolution to reverse them.

That is why I need you to contact your Republican National Committee representatives IMMEDIATELY to urge them to support Blackwell’s repeal effort.

You are represented at the RNC by the State Party Chairman, a National Committeeman, and a National Committeewoman from your state.

It requires a 75% vote of all RNC members to overturn these rules, so your action could not be more critical.

Please remember, this fight could have ramifications that last for years.

Each one of the GOP’s new rules are designed to hand even MORE control to party insiders, fat-cat donors, and GOP hack consultants.

The new rules force more “winner take all” primaries, discourage states from allowing grassroots activists to have “too much” power over the selection of the eventual GOP nominee in state convention processes, create more national delegates beholden to campaign operatives, and raise the number of states needed to place a candidate’s name in nomination at the convention.

The effect will be to disenfranchise liberty candidates like Ron Paul in 2012, Ronald Reagan in 1976, and Barry Goldwater in 1964, who were powered by armies of small donors and activists inspired by principle rather than opportunism ...

... the very people that are proven to create the foundation for a healthy and vibrant Republican Party.

I know you’re not surprised.

In recent months, you and I have seen more than our fair share of assaults coming from the establishment.

In fact, not long ago, Karl Rove launched his own Super PAC designed to combat liberty activists and Tea Party types.
Breitbart news just reported that the RNC Chief of Staff “effectively declared war on the conservative grassroots” at an exclusive meeting at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington, D.C.

Now, as part of the GOP’s “Growth and Opportunity Project,” the establishment is doubling down.

Buried amongst the report’s platitudes about building a more inclusive Republican Party are three recommendations designed to cement the establishment's control over picking the nominee in 2016, including:

*** Requiring every state to hold primaries instead of caucuses and conventions.

Establishment candidates that can afford multi-million dollar ad campaigns have a built-in advantage over liberty candidates, who rely on grassroots donors and volunteers. And this would also cost already struggling state governments as much as $30 million;

*** Replacing individual state primaries with a series of “regional” primaries, further advantaging well-heeled establishment candidates who can afford to run massive multiple-state campaigns at once;

*** Placing primary debates under the control of the GOP, virtually guaranteeing moderators favor their established frontrunners and that those who challenge the status quo are simply shut out.

I hope you’re as outraged as I am. The liberty wing of the party is the only part of the GOP that is growing.

But I’m afraid far too many in the GOP establishment would rather lose to statist Democrats than see grassroots types gain party positions.

This next week is the GOP’s chance to prove that’s not true.

But it’s critical you act at once.

You and I simply must make clear that we will not settle for Obama-lite.

And we will not allow the GOP establishment to silence or control the liberty movement!